ATAVID CH78

Jiang Qunyu was thoroughly bewildered by his question. Lifting his eyes to glance at him, he replied in an irritated tone, “Otherwise?”

Without Ling’er and Xiao He around, there wouldn’t even be anyone to tell him gossip anymore. Furthermore, he had originally intended to use some indirect, probing questions to ask the two of them about Wei Xun’s background.

When exactly did he come to the Nine Underworlds?

“Ha.” Hearing this, Wei Xun suddenly let out a low chuckle. That laughter carried an ambiguous meaning, laced with a distinct chill. He straightened his posture and spoke flatly, “No matter. In any case, it is the last time you’ll see them.”

Jiang Qunyu: “?”

What does that mean?

A description of the Lord of the Nether Abyss from the original novel flashed abruptly through his mind. Rumor had it that before him, not a single one of the grooms sent to the Nether Abyss to counter the death-curse had ever managed to survive; every single one had met a wretched end.

Wait a minute. Could the meaning behind Wei Xun’s words just now be that he intends for me to become nourishment for those Equinox Flowers along the banks of the River of Forgetfulness as well?

That is absolutely out of the question!

He had worked diligently for a century just to obtain this single physical body, and he had even hoarded a massive mountain of spiritual stones! He just didn’t know if they were still back in Yunque City—where exactly had he hidden them back then? It seemed to be beneath that apricot blossom tree outside the Yujing Pavilions. He wondered if anyone had secretly dug them up. Probably not, right? He had specially cast several spiritual barriers around them back then.

Jiang Qunyu’s mind wandered into chaotic thoughts.

Seeing that he was remaining relatively well-behaved and hadn’t thrown a tantrum insisting on keeping those two little maidservants around, Wei Xun’s sullen expression cleared slightly. His grip around the youth’s hand tightened by another fraction as he guided him around, walking toward the deeper recesses of the Nether Abyss.

Only when the figures of the two individuals had thoroughly vanished within the dark, heavy barrier did the assembly of ghost cultivators kneeling on the ground finally dare to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Cold sweat had completely drenched their robes. The suffocating pressure that had made it difficult to breathe just moments ago had finally dissipated.

One ghost cultivator asked in bewilderment, “Why would His Supremacy personally come here today? In the past, whenever a groom arrived to counter the death-curse, he never showed his face once.”

Another ghost cultivator shook his head, his tone heavily laden with wariness: “This person’s temperament has always been fickle and his thoughts impossible to fathom. Who could ever guess his intentions?”

After a brief silence, someone suddenly spoke up: “Then this time, regarding this demon youth sent as a sacrifice… how should he be dealt with? Do we deliver him over as we did in the past?”

The moment these words were uttered, the surroundings instantly fell into a dead silence; every single ghost cultivator held their tongue. After a long while, the Ghost Elder standing at the absolute front—whose status was clearly superior—slowly opened his mouth: “We will speak of it after today has concluded.”

“Understood,” the ghost cultivators complied in unison.

The Nether Abyss was the central citadel of the Nine Underworlds, the very ghost city that caused the people of the world to turn pale with terror at its mere mention. The citadel was perpetually shrouded in black mist, with the River of Forgetfulness flowing a short distance away.

Jiang Qunyu followed behind Wei Xun, occasionally lowering his gaze to look at their tightly interlocked hands, then lifting his eyes to scrutinize the tall, straight profile before him. His heart felt filled with a chaotic mix of five flavors, an indescribable complexity.

Wei Xun truly is an absolute scoundrel! Counting his current self masquerading under the identity of “Jiang Yu,” this was already the eighteenth groom sent to counter his death-curse. Furthermore, wasn’t he deeply enamored with Shen Peiqiu?

Logically speaking, he was alive and well right now, and he had spent so many years alongside Shen Peiqiu. Even if he had to compete against Lan Yuanzhou, relying on this face of his, he wouldn’t necessarily lose the fight, right? Could it be that Shen Peiqiu ultimately rejected him, leaving Wei Xun utterly disheartened, prompting him to leave Yunque City in a fit of rage? Did he come to the Nether Abyss just to begin this absurd lifestyle of marrying someone new every few weeks?

Yet looking at his current state, he didn’t appear to place these marriages in his heart at all. Jiang Qunyu swept a glance over Wei Xun’s attire. Today was clearly the grand day of the wedding, yet he hadn’t even donned a proper, formal wedding robe; he still wore a simple flowing robe of pitch black. His ink-black hair was bound with a pale green silk ribbon, and a small silver bell dangled from his waist. As a gentle breeze drifted past, the silver bell swayed lightly, transmitting a clear, crisp chime.

So the silver bell chimes I heard while inside the wedding sedan earlier weren’t an illusion after all…

The design of that silver bell was exceptionally unique, its patterns ancient and displaying clear signs of age. As he stared at it, he couldn’t help but recall the one he had tied to his own Soul-Devouring Sword a long, long time ago; their appearances actually bore a striking resemblance.

Could the one at Wei Xun’s waist be that very same bell? But if it truly is, why does he keep it attached to his person? And where did that Soul-Devouring Sword go?

As if sensing Jiang Qunyu’s lack of focus, Wei Xun’s footsteps paused slightly. He lowered his eyes, his gaze landing upon Jiang Qunyu’s somewhat dazed face. After studying him meticulously for a brief moment, his lips parted to ask, “Very tired?”

Jiang Qunyu felt rather irritated. He had disgruntledly discovered that Wei Xun was actually a full head taller than him. Back in the modern era, his height had been 1.75 meters, which wasn’t considered short by any means. Yet with his current body, he actually had to tilt his neck upward just to meet Wei Xun’s eyes.

Exactly how tall is Wei Xun? He looks to be a full 1.9 meters.

Had he never experienced a height of 1.9 meters before, he might have let it slide. But as fate would have it, during those nearly one hundred years as an inner demon when he occupied Wei Xun’s body, he had possessed that exact same towering height! The more Jiang Qunyu thought about it, the more vexed he became. He secretly regretted that he hadn’t found a way to body-snatch Wei Xun back then and claim that physical form for himself; that way, he wouldn’t be reduced to relying on his whims today, standing a whole head shorter than him!

Jiang Qunyu directed a resentful glare at Wei Xun. Yet since his current persona was that of a simple-minded fool lacking wits, he could only nod with a bewildered air: “Tired.”

Beholding his dazed appearance, the corners of Wei Xun’s thin lips twitched almost imperceptibly, devoid of any real emotion, as he directly released his grip around the youth’s hand. Jiang Qunyu was initially startled, a spark of secret joy instantly rising in his heart.

The hand that has been gripped the entire way can finally be liberated!

However, before that delight could endure for even half a second, Wei Xun reached out in the next instant and wrapped an arm securely around his waist. A slightly cool palm pressed against the skin of his waist. Before Jiang Qunyu could even register the movement, the young man’s other hand had already slid beneath the crook of his knees. Bending slightly, he effortlessly hoisted the youth up in a horizontal carry.

Jiang Qunyu blinked his eyes slowly, his entire being freezing completely. His mind turned entirely blank, utterly stunned.

Wei Xun must be absolutely insane! A century had passed, so how had this man transformed into an entirely different person?

In contrast to Jiang Qunyu’s tension and rigidity, Wei Xun’s movements were entirely natural. His countenance remained as tranquil as ever, yet an uncontrollable storm raged within the depths of his heart. The waist touched by his fingertips was unbelievably soft; the person in his arms possessed a small frame, looking exceptionally thin and delicate.

He couldn’t help but think: Why is Jiang Qunyu so soft? Why is Jiang Qunyu so small? Why is Jiang Qunyu so thin? I must raise him with utmost care.

Carried in Wei Xun’s arms the entire way, Jiang Qunyu kept his body completely rigid throughout the duration. It was only when he was carried into the Nether Palace and set down that he violently snapped back to reality. Operating almost entirely on instinct, he scrambled backward several paces, instantly putting a wide distance between himself and Wei Xun as he stared at him with vigilant eyes.

Wei Xun’s eyes were as dark and deep as jade submerged in a frozen pond, yet he didn’t display any anger. He merely summoned in a cold voice, “Xie Chuan, roll down here.”

Upon hearing a familiar name, Jiang Qunyu was startled, lifting his head in utter disbelief. He watched as a dark silhouette suddenly leaped down from the roof beams with agile, swift grace. Clad in a set of tight-fitting black robes, he bore a long sword strapped to his back: “Master.”

“Guard him well,” Wei Xun instructed flatly.

Xie Chuan was still a bit muddled regarding Wei Xun’s sudden appearance. Hadn’t the Master just departed a few days ago? Under ordinary circumstances, the Master shouldn’t have returned for a very long period of time. Why had he returned so early on this occasion? He was just about to ask something when he witnessed Wei Xun turning around to depart. Left with no choice, he turned his head to look at the person Wei Xun had ordered him to guard, caught completely off guard as his eyes locked directly into Jiang Qunyu’s gaze.

The moment their eyes met, Xie Chuan froze entirely on the spot. The youth before him… looked exactly the same as the red-robed youth his Master had once meticulously and cautiously protected within the Yujing Pavilions!

While Xie Chuan was scrutinizing him, Jiang Qunyu was also quietly observing Xie Chuan, a touch of imperceptible nostalgia concealed within the depths of his eyes. Within the span of a mere century, Xie Chuan has grown into such a massive fellow! He still remembered that back then, Xie Chuan was only a teenager who always carried a sword on his back while trailing behind him, his eyes filled with yearning as he pestered him to go horse racing together.

Hmph! He had told Wei Xun back then that he needed to cultivate his own trusted confidants. Wei Xun had been entirely reluctant at the time, yet now that a century had passed, Xie Chuan was still accompanying his side, which sufficiently proved how correct his decision had been back then.

No matter, the present wasn’t an appropriate time to reminisce about old times anyway, and he had no intention of exposing his identity. Consequently, Jiang Qunyu ignored him entirely and began strolling around the palace hall, inspecting his surroundings.

This space was presumably the main hall. Everything that met his eyes was a sea of bright crimson. A hundred palace lanterns hung suspended from the ceiling of the hall, while auspicious silk ribbons embroidered with dragons and phoenixes wound around the beams. The floor was overlaid with a long, sweeping red carpet extending all the way from the palace doors to the central offering table dedicated to Heaven and Earth.

Upon the table rested the ancestral tablets for Heaven and Earth, incense smoke curling upward from a burner as a pair of massive candles burned brightly. Beneath the steps sat rows of viewing seats, completely filled with festive decorations.

Jiang Qunyu recalled briefly that on the path where Wei Xun had carried him inside just now, the palace buildings and corridors were all adorned in this exact same bridal red. Yet the maidservants and passing ghost cultivators of the Nine Underworlds displayed completely ordinary expressions, busy with their respective duties as if the sudden influx of festive crimson within this freezing, sinister domain was a sight they had long since grown accustomed to.

How utterly bizarre.

After exploring for a brief moment, Jiang Qunyu turned around to walk outside, intending to seek an opportunity to scout an escape route. The moment his feet stepped past the threshold of the hall, he caught sight of Xie Chuan out of the corner of his eye, following closely behind him step for step, never leaving his side.

“…”

Fine. He had originally intended to see if there was any opportunity to slip away covertly. Why on earth was Xie Chuan tracking him continuously?! He was furious! Had he known things would turn out like this, he wouldn’t have constantly brought him pastries to eat back then, spoiling the boy into becoming this clingy. Now he had instead become a lookout, disrupting his grand escape strategy.

Jiang Qunyu turned his head to glare at him, gritting his teeth: “Stop following me.”

To his utter astonishment, the moment the words left his mouth, Xie Chuan’s eyes turned instantly red. A watery sheen rippled within his pupils as teardrops welled up, threatening to fall. Jiang Qunyu kept a wooden face, wondering when Xie Chuan would ever correct his habit of shedding tears at the slightest provocation.

Xie Chuan followed him stubbornly, speaking in a dry tone: “I cannot. I already lost you once last time, and Master was deeply grieved.”

Jiang Qunyu was left entirely in the dark by his words. When on earth did that happen? How come I have no idea?

“Oh,” Jiang Qunyu was left with no options against him, letting him do as he pleased. “Then keep following.” At worst, he would simply abduct Xie Chuan along with him when he fled. Jiang Qunyu instantly ceased to dwell on it.

Perhaps because his bright red wedding attire was truly too eye-catching, the gazes of the passing maidservants and ghost cultivators constantly drifted toward him with an ambiguous air. Their looks even contained traces of sympathy and regret, making him feel entirely uncomfortable.

“It truly is strange,” Jiang Qunyu murmured in a low voice. Yet upon a second thought, he found it entirely logical. Presumably, in the eyes of these individuals, he was merely a sacrificial groom sent to die; just like those people who came before him, he would breathe his last within a matter of days. For them to possess such expressions was perfectly normal.

Jiang Qunyu casually caught hold of a ghost servant to gather information: “Why do you all look at me like that? Is your Supremacy very terrifying?” Wei Xun hadn’t made any move to kill him yet. Besides, if Wei Xun truly decided to get serious, he would simply throw hands and have a proper fight with him.

That ghost servant trembled violently all over. Involuntarily lifting his eyes to glance at the stiff-faced Xie Chuan standing a short distance away, his words couldn’t even form a coherent sentence: “N-No, His Supremacy… His Supremacy isn’t terrifying in the slightest…”

Beholding this sight, Jiang Qunyu fell silent for a brief moment, silently complaining in his heart: If he isn’t terrifying, stop shaking your legs! You can barely even speak properly.

Following the trajectory of the ghost servant’s gaze, Jiang Qunyu also realized that the issue lay with Xie Chuan. It was highly likely that Xie Chuan’s reputation in their eyes wasn’t any better either. He ceased to make things difficult for the ghost servant, merely inquiring, “When is the auspicious hour?” He had to devise a strategy before he was forced to perform the wedding bows with Wei Xun. Although even if they truly went through with it, nothing substantial would likely happen… yet thinking about it rationally didn’t stop a bizarre sense of awkwardness from welling up in his heart. Performing the grand wedding bows with Wei Xun felt unspeakably unnatural.

The ghost servant, however, was stunned. It took a long while before he stammered, “There is no auspicious hour. This servant has never witnessed His Supremacy performing the wedding bows with any young master.” The moment the words fell, the ghost servant cradled the white skull ornament in his arms and fled as if granted an absolute amnesty.

Jiang Qunyu stood frozen on the spot for a good while before finally registering the information. In an instant, that slight trace of anxiety and awkwardness from before vanished into thin air.

I knew it, he thought. With a temperament like Wei Xun’s, having married so many people consecutively, if he had to perform the grand wedding bows with every single one of them, wouldn’t he be completely exhausted to death? Furthermore, if he truly placed the marriage in his heart, he wouldn’t have remained dressed in a simple black robe on the grand day of his wedding today.

Jiang Qunyu relaxed his mind completely. Since there was no need to perform the wedding bows, it wasn’t out of the question for him to lay low a bit longer.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Jiang Qunyu suddenly felt the surroundings turn freezing cold. It was a severe chill, like the first snowfall of early winter landing upon the skin, bearing a bone-piercing sinisterness.

He turned around instinctively, only to see that Wei Xun had actually changed into a bright red wedding robe. The fabric cascaded down like flowing blood, his towering frame outlining a sharp and distinct silhouette. His appearance was exquisitely handsome, the corners of his lips curving upward as he made absolutely no effort to conceal the delight dancing within his eyes.

Beholding the scene before him, Jiang Qunyu’s eyelids gave a violent twitch. The stone that had just settled in his chest was instantly suspended once more as an ominous premonition rose within him.

He watched as Wei Xun walked toward him with measured, steady steps. With every single pace he took, the freezing air around them grew another degree heavier. The lanterns outside the corridor swayed lightly under the weight of this malevolent yin energy, reflecting his features in alternating light and shadow. He walked straight up to stand before Jiang Qunyu. Reaching out a hand with distinct knuckles, he clamped down around Jiang Qunyu’s pale wrist.

“Let’s go,” his tone was unnaturally gentle, sending a shiver down the youth’s spine.

Jiang Qunyu’s scalp turned instantly tight, his heart hammering wildly: “…Where to?”

Wei Xun had already turned around while pulling him, walking toward the direction of the main hall. Upon hearing the question, he tilted his head sideways, the gaze he cast toward him bearing a touch of strangeness, as if unable to comprehend why he would even ask such a thing: “Naturally, to perform the wedding bows. The auspicious hour has already arrived.”

Jiang Qunyu: “?”

Didn’t that ghost servant just say that this madman never performs the wedding bows?!

Jiang Qunyu looked as though he had seen a ghost. He attempted to wrench his hand free from Wei Xun’s grip, completely abandoning any desire to maintain his facade at this point. To hell with the simple-minded fool persona! He was just about to voice his protest when he discovered that he was actually incapable of uttering a single word.

His hands and feet had also turned exceptionally rigid. His entire body, limbs, and bones felt as though they were being manipulated by an invisible, powerful force, causing him to lose absolute control over his own physical body. He could only follow passively beside Wei Xun like a marionette guided by strings.

Jiang Qunyu fell silent for a brief moment, quickly realizing that the instigator behind this trick was none other than Wei Xun. The bewildered innocence forced onto his face cracked entirely, his heart filled with a mixture of rage and anxiety.

Dammit, Wei Xun, are you really that desperate for a spouse?! Did he even comprehend what he was doing?

Are we in a relationship where we can get married?!

Wei Xun, however, acted as though he was completely blind to Jiang Qunyu’s resistance. Merely gripping his wrist, he guided him all the way into the main hall. The candle flames flickered as incense smoke curled upward.

The entire hall was filled with ghost cultivators and maidservants who had been forced to attend and witness the ceremony. Every single one of them possessed a deathly pale face, their souls nearly frightened away out of their bodies. Jiang Qunyu, meanwhile, bore an expression of complete, utter despair.

Within such a bizarre and eerie atmosphere, Wei Xun pulled him along as they slowly turned around, facing the long table in the center of the hall that held the ancestral tablets for Heaven and Earth. The ghost servant standing to the side was likely hosting this ceremony for the first time in his entire life, his voice trembling beyond recognition: “Fi… First bow to Heaven and Earth—”

Incapable of controlling his own movements, Jiang Qunyu bowed his upper body in unison with Wei Xun.

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!

“Second bow to the Ancestral Hall—”

The two of them turned toward the vacant seats at the head of the hall, bending their waists once more. Only, one bore a faint smile at the corners of his lips, while the other carried a face completely resigned to a grim fate. Jiang Qunyu had turned entirely numb.

“Husband and spouse bow to each other—”

Only then did Wei Xun release the grip around his wrist. The two of them stood facing each other. A delicate, subtle tenderness diffused across the man’s eyes as he asked softly, “Are you unhappy?”

Jiang Qunyu gritted his teeth, harboring an intense urge to bite Wei Xun several times, yet he was forced to bend his upper body downward.

It was only when that ghost servant uttered a trembling shout of “The ceremony is complete!” that he finally straightened his torso, the control over his physical body returning abruptly to his own hands.

Jiang Qunyu was pushed past the brink of anger into a bitter laugh. He thought to himself that he must absolutely never allow Wei Xun to discover that he was the very same inner demon who had entangled with him for a century. He truly couldn’t begin to fathom—if a day ever came where Wei Xun discovered that the two of them, who were supposed to remain estranged until death, had actually bowed to Heaven and Earth and become married spouses… exactly what kind of terrifying torment he would be subjected to!